Remarks – NCSSAR President Sam Powell
                 Fall BOM, October 13, 2007,
                 Burlington, NC

Before we start, I think it is important for us to put into perspective who we are and the importance of our mission:

The SAR is one of many Patriotic Organizations, all striving to reach a similar goal – to instill an appreciation for and remembrance of our heritage, to stimulate patriotism, and to teach our youth what is right about this country so they are informed enough to evaluate for themselves why the USA is the greatest country in the world. In other words, so that our population will continue to stand up and defend itself against tyranny.  It is our hope that be doing this, we can perpetuate the institutions of American freedom that we have come to love for future generations.

A brief history of the National Society SAR:

The SAR as a national organization was organized  in New York City April 30, 1889, and incorporated  January 17, 1890 in Connecticut.  The DAR, which was founded in 1890, a year after the SAR.  Another Society, the General Society Sons of the Revolution, was founded six years earlier in 1883.  We are not the oldest patriotic society, but we are very active.  The DAR has 10 times our number and is perhaps the most well known.

The SAR was given a special charter by the United States Congress.  Our US Congressional Charter is dated June 9, 1906.  We celebrated the 100th Anniversary of our Congressional Charter last year in 2006.  Congressman Howard Coble, 6th District NC, introduced a resolution in Congress to that effect, and we thanked him at our annual meeting in Greensboro this past April.

Today, the NSSAR has more than 27,000 members living in all of the 50 states and 23 foreign countries.  Throughout our 118 year history, we have admitted more than 165,000 members.  Among these are 15 Presidents of the US, Douglas MacArthur, George Patton, Winston Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom, and King Juan Carlos I of Spain. 

The North Carolina Society SAR:

Our NC Society was organized February 22, 1911 in Washington, NC by Stephen Brogaw, President with 30 members. We currently have 700 members.  The society was discontinued in 1920, but reorganized again in 1928.  Our charter from the National Society is dated May, 1928.  We will celebrate our centennial anniversary of our organization in 2011. 

What is the Mission of the SAR?   What is our purpose?

The National Society Sons for the American Revolution is a historical, educational and patriotic non-profit corporation that seeks to maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom, and appreciation for true patriotism, a respect for our national symbols, the value of American citizenship, the unifying force of “e Pluribus Unum” that has created, from the people of many nations, one nation and one people.

We are not just a Patriotic Society.  We also have as our purpose, the component of the historical and educational effort.  As such, we are interested in enhancing the understanding of our nation’s history, and a very important role of our organization is assisting in the education of our youth and general population.

Our challenge going foreword is to engender the appreciation of true patriotism and respect for our national symbols.
We have a variety of ways to do this.  Our outreach programs are continually building and with an investment by our membership, we can continue to build into the future.

The last part, an appreciation for the value of American citizenship and an appreciation for the unifying force of “e Pluribus Unum”  - one nation and one people is increasingly becoming an issue in our population.  The role of the SAR may never have been as important as it is today.

In the past, we were a melting pot where people from widely divergent backgrounds came together under one flag, one set of principles, one language, and one culture.  We have large numbers of citizens who do not even speak our language.  We have Muslim sub-cultures bent on our destruction. 

What do OUR YOUTH think about all of this?  What are they being taught in school?

Recently, a national poll found a disturbing “Patriotism Gap” appears to be emerging.   It appears that Children today are not as patriotic as earlier generations.

-  According to the poll by The Winston Group, a national poling firm located in Washington DC,    97% of the respondents said they believe that children are growing up less patriotic today. 
-  In a Fox News poll taken on July 4th, 2005, one in four (25%) Americans under the age of 30 responded that they would rather live in another country.  Of those over age 30, 95% preferred the USA.
-  In a Time Magazine poll in 2005,  ½ (50%) of  13-year olds responded that they think America will be a worse place to live in when they are their parents age.
-  In a Scholastic magazine poll, 80 % of the kids asked said that they would not want to be President.  The reason was they were just not interested.

All of this apathy and negative feeling towards the US is confusing.  Most families in our country have experienced a better lifestyle in recent years than Americans have enjoyed in any other time in history.  Why then the lack of enthusiasm?

In years past, youngsters were taught in the classroom, from the earliest grades, about America’s achievements.  They learned our history, admired our heroes, and respected our political leaders.  They learned to value and love our country.

Today, our youth are learning what is wrong with America before they are told what is right.  Our youth hear a constant drumbeat of anti-Americanism on the evening news, in the movies, and as punch lines by our most listened-to comedians.  Perhaps the worst is the lyrics of music and rap that invades our airways with negative messages about our social system and respect for authority.

With all this, it is understandable why our youth are critical or downright cynical about the place we call home.   

The big question is:
Do our youth value their heritage enough to protect it, or would they give their freedoms up willingly to a tyrant who talks like a friend? Are they going to embrace communism?  Will they understand the difference?

Winston Churchill said:

“If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed;  If you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly;  You may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you, and only a precious chance of survival. You may even have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.”

We live in a world today that is much more complicated than when Churchill faced the Nazi’s in WWII.  But, we need the same spirit to survive as a people against those who would take away our freedoms.  That spirit to be free and to earn our own way in this world is what needs to be kindled.  We need to remember the sacrifices of our ancestors who gave us this great land of the free and pass on that legacy to our children.  

We can only value what we know.  It is not our children’s fault if they fail to appreciate their culture if they are ignorant of it.

Additionally, America is the example for the rest of the world for all freedom loving people.  It is important not only to our children but also those everywhere that we continue our legacy.  Thomas Paine was right when he said that America’s cause was the cause of all mankind.  Our Revolutionary War ancestors set an example that would, they fully hoped and expected, set the world on fire.  And it still does.

      Consider how tragic it would be if the suffering and sacrifice of our Revolutionary War heroes – and the true meaning of their cause – is lost to future generations.

I have gone through all this to make a very important point.  That is:  that it is important for us to belong to and support the SAR, DAR, CAR and to push for educational programs for our youth.  This is something that we can do.  You are not wasting your time as a member of the SAR.  It is probably more important today than any time in history for us to fight back.  Because the good news is that unlike many challenges we face, from the war on terror to our nation’s social ills, this is one challenge we can do something about.

A first step back from the Patriotism Gap is to admit it exists.  – To realize that our youth are frequently clueless that the protected and privileged lives they lead are possible, to a large degree because they are young Americans.  Patriotism does not develop like permanent teeth as a natural consequence of life.  It is taught, and not just by attending a fourth of July parade barbecue.

The second step is to be positive and contribute to the solutions to the problems we face.  We can do this by being involved:
-   Providing books and movies that tell America’s story.
-   Encouraging patriotic educational challenges such as essay contests and poster contests.
-   Recognizing individuals or organizations who display the flag
-   Recognizing those Patriots of today who are heroes among us – such as Police, fire, EMS and Politicians and teachers who are doing a great job.
-   Setting an example of what it means to be a Patriotic American
-   Encouraging more people to support and be involved in the SAR, DAR, CAR or other patriotic organizations.

NCSSAR Goals 2007-2009:

I have outlined my goals for my tenure as President in 6 Broad Categories.  They are:

 1) Strengthen our Outreach efforts - This will be accomplished by continuing our youth programs, honoring those involved with Fire Safety, Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services and those identified who have performed heroic acts of kindness, and by continuing to enhance our color guard activities.  In addition, we should strive to continue our involvement in Veterans programs, the flag certificate program and the teacher of the year programs.  To strengthen these programs, these recognitions should be published in local newspapers and be given more emphasis at the chapter level.

2)  Strengthen our educational efforts -  This can be done in many ways, the two most important are the 2008 Calendar project and support for the Center for Advancing America’s Heritage (CAAH).  I also encourage compatriots to be involved in classroom lectures/demonstrations and in support of your local libraries by donating materials and books.

3) Enhancing our Image and visibility at the local, state and national levels -  Please support the NCSSAR state newsletter and the national magazine by sending in articles.  Please also seek publicity in local newspapers, radio and TV.  Please also get the word out about our organization to your friends and family.  A huge opportunity for us to get recognition is our plan to host the National Congress in NC in 2011.

4)  Activate our SAR Members – Each chapter member should be given a duty.  Our members can serve as chapter officers, working with the scouts, assisting with your chapter scrapbook, planning programs, judging contests, or even calling to remind compatriots of your meetings.  There is something to do for everyone that is willing to serve.

5)  Increase Membership – Direct contact by word of mouth, working with the DAR and CAR, and assisting those who are interested in joining with their membership applications are a great start.  Also, please work to get dues paid prior to the December 31 deadline, and let us know when there is an opportunity to form a new chapter.

6) Support the SR, DAR and CAR -   We need to work together to support each other.  We should take every opportunity to be involved with and assist other patriotic organizations to our mutual benefit.

Thank you for your involvement with the NCSSAR.  I look foreword to working with each of you.

Sam Powell, President NCSSAR